I tend to fantasize a lot. Sometimes I write about it.

#Art of Fantasy 49: Francois Baranger

The purpose of these Art of Fantasy posts is to share with you the types of fantasy art I love. I have also asked in the past for suggestions from you of artists you want me to showcase here. Today’s artist is one such artist nominated by my good friend, author and editor, Jessica West.

French artist Francois Baranger works as an illustrator, concept artist and artistic director for the video-game and movie industry, and his clients include some big names like MPC, Quantic Dream, Darkworks, Ubisoft, Europa Corp, FFG and various book publishers. Some of the movies under his belt include Wrath of the Titans, Beyond: Two Souls, Fantomas, Prince of Persia (the movie), G.I. Joe, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, and Heavy Rain.

Below is a small collection of his work. Each image links to the site of origin. Enjoy!

Francois’ paintings possess a dream-like element. His lines are thin and eloquent and the textures smooth, almost flowing. There are no distinct or harsh lines in his illustrations. I also think the tone here is powerfully emotional. When you study his paintings you get the sense that Francois captured a pivotal moment in the middle of something, which is probably the best way to capture a scene, but when it comes to fantasy, the result is almost always powerful.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and remember to check out my latest Art of Science Fiction over on Kōsa Press. I have some dystopian sci-fi for you there today.

I sometimes write tales of dark fantasy and the supernatural which is maybe not such a far cry from my lawyering days. These days I write mostly science fiction flights of fancy. I've been nominated three times for New Zealand's Sir Julius Vogel Award and my novella, Babylon's Song, which is included in the anthology Interspecies published by Kosa Press, reached the SJV shortlist in 2017.